SPJIMR hosted The TPO Summit 2026 Bengaluru Edition, bringing together Training and Placement Officers and senior HR leaders to discuss AI, Gen Z workplace expectations, employability and industry-academia collaboration.

Category: Education | Skill Development | Campus Recruitment | Employability

Bengaluru, June 12, 2026: Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan’s S.P. Jain Institute of Management & Research (SPJIMR) hosted The TPO Summit 2026 – Bengaluru Edition on June 5, 2026, at The Chancery Hotel, Bengaluru. The summit brought together Training and Placement Officers from leading engineering and non-engineering institutions, along with senior HR leaders from multiple industries, to discuss the changing landscape of campus recruitment and the future of workforce readiness.

The event focused on some of the most important themes shaping today’s employment ecosystem, including Artificial Intelligence in hiring, changing workplace expectations of Gen Z, employability challenges, and the growing importance of human-centred skills. Participants also discussed how stronger collaboration between academic institutions and industry can help improve student preparedness for future job roles.

AI and the Changing Nature of Campus Hiring

A major focus of the summit was the impact of Artificial Intelligence on recruitment, workplace roles and professional expectations. Industry leaders noted that AI is transforming the way organisations hire, assess and train talent. However, the discussions also underlined that technology alone will not define the future workforce.

Speakers highlighted that professionals who can combine digital and technical capability with strong human skills will continue to remain relevant in the evolving job market. Skills such as analytical thinking, communication, adaptability, creativity, leadership and collaboration were identified as critical for students entering the workforce.

The discussion was also aligned with global employment trends highlighted in the World Economic Forum’s Future of Jobs Report 2025, which indicates that employers expect AI and information-processing technologies to significantly transform businesses by 2030. At the same time, the report continues to place analytical thinking, resilience, flexibility, agility, leadership and social influence among the most valued workplace skills.

Speaking at the summit, Bhishm Chugani, Director, Career Services, SPJIMR, said that AI may change how people work, but human judgement, creativity and interpersonal skills will continue to set individuals apart. He emphasised that institutions and employers must work together to help students build both technical competence and long-term human capabilities.

Focus on Gen Z Workplace Expectations

The summit also discussed the evolving aspirations of Gen Z professionals entering the workforce. Participants noted that today’s students are looking for meaningful career opportunities, inclusive workplace cultures, continuous learning pathways and roles that allow them to grow in a rapidly changing environment.

Training and Placement Officers play a key role in preparing students for this transition from campus to corporate life. The summit encouraged institutions to strengthen career readiness initiatives, improve industry exposure and help students understand the expectations of modern workplaces.

Bridging the Gap Between Education and Employability

One of the central themes of the summit was the need to bridge the gap between classroom learning and workplace readiness. Panellists emphasised that employability is no longer limited to technical knowledge or academic performance. Future-ready graduates need to demonstrate communication skills, problem-solving ability, teamwork, adaptability and the confidence to navigate change.

Participants discussed several possible approaches to improving employability, including continuous engagement between recruiters and institutions, industry inputs in curriculum development, experiential learning opportunities, internship-linked exposure, and stronger recruiter-institution partnerships.

The summit also reinforced the importance of regular dialogue between academia and industry to ensure that students are trained for real workplace demands and emerging job roles.

Strengthening Industry-Academia Collaboration

Commenting on the importance of the initiative, Ramessh Misshra, Deputy Director – Marketing, SPJIMR, said that the TPO Summit reflects SPJIMR’s commitment to creating meaningful dialogue between academia and industry. He added that such platforms help institutions understand employer expectations while enabling industry leaders to engage directly with those shaping the future workforce.

The event featured participation from senior industry leaders, including Ravikanth Eranki, Senior Talent Acquisition Consultant, Cargill; Vijay Linus, Director – Talent Acquisition APAC, CGI; Leetha Prajesh, Senior Director – Talent Acquisition, APAC & India, Amadeus Software; Neha Srivastava, Senior VP – HR, MetricStream; Sipra Majumdar, Director – People & Culture, SiMa.ai; Sridevi NV, CPO, VTU; and Satender Sighadia, Head – HR, GPS Renewables.

Why the Summit Matters for India’s Talent Ecosystem

As India continues to strengthen its position as a global talent hub, campus recruitment is undergoing a major transformation. Recruiters are increasingly looking for candidates who can adapt to new technologies, work across teams, communicate effectively and contribute to innovation-led growth.

Platforms such as SPJIMR’s TPO Summit create an important space for academic institutions and employers to exchange ideas, align expectations and build stronger pathways for student employability. The Bengaluru edition highlighted that the future of campus recruitment will depend not only on technology adoption but also on human-centred skills, institutional preparedness and continuous collaboration between education and industry.

About SPJIMR

Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan’s S.P. Jain Institute of Management & Research is one of India’s leading postgraduate management institutes. SPJIMR is recognised in the Financial Times MiM rankings as the 35th business school globally and among the Top 3 in India. It has also been ranked among India’s top five business schools by Business Today and recognised by the Positive Impact Rating as one of the top five schools worldwide for societal impact.

Known for its innovative and socially conscious approach to management education, research and community engagement, SPJIMR focuses on value-based growth for students, alumni, organisations, leaders and society. The institute also holds the international ‘Triple Crown’ of accreditations from EQUIS, AACSB and AMBA.

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